The Armenian Weekly. Harutyun Hakobian is the author of a wonderful new book published this year, Unexplored Armenia, a travel guide to places in Armenia that are not widely known.
“The idea of a book about the most unusual places in our country came about a long time ago when I was actively studying Artsakh and traveling to the most remote and inaccessible locations in this wonderful land. I filmed everything and created television stories about these places, and over time, I decided to write a book for tourists. The goal was to provide a comprehensive guide, so that when [people] picked up the book, they would understand what they would like to visit. I created a product that simplifies the life of tourists and makes their trip more enriching and memorable,” he said.
Zontikner, Shushi, Artsakh
Indeed, the book is a delightful guide to travel and history, incorporating the peoples of Armenia. But there were challenges, he says. “This book was not written while sitting at home; instead, I traveled to various locations, sometimes visiting the same places multiple times. Among other things, the book includes QR codes that unlock additional video stories that had to be edited. This task was very time-consuming. Despite all the difficulties, I truly enjoyed the process,” Hakobian said.
What was most memorable for him was the sheer number of Bronze Age settlements throughout Armenia. “Lower on the slopes, not reaching the fortresses, we always found a lot of ceramics, which indicated that people did not live in the fortresses, but down the slope. The fortresses were intended only for defense. I was generally surprised by such a large concentration of medieval fortresses. We have an incredibly rich country!” said Hakobian. “We are lucky with our heritage, but we also have a great cultural heritage that is hidden in the mountains and forests. My videos and books aim to reveal these beautiful corners of our country,” he continued.
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Born in Stepanakert, Artsakh, Hakobian’s roots are from the Hadrut region. He briefly moved to Russia but returned to the homeland in 2018. In addition to Unexplored Armenia, Hakobian has also worked on a book, titled, Unknown Armenia: Places of Power, spotlighting nine ancient fortresses that many Armenians are unaware of.
“Next year, a book about the animal world of Armenia will be published,” Hakobian explained. After that, he plans on writing books to spotlight the unknown in Kotayk, Syunik, Lori and Tavush regions. And once that’s in, he says, “I want to write a children’s book, titled, The Adventures of Sevak and Astghik in Armenia.”
Hakobian has been blogging on YouTube and social media for 11 years. His goal is to climb every mountain in Armenia and visit every monastery, no matter how inaccessible they may seem. He also wants to explore all the villages, fortresses and cities in Armenia. He’s been traveling for the past seven years and has calculated that he will need another eight to nine years to visit all of the places that he would like to see in Armenia.
“Unlike some other places in the world where you may not find any historical landmarks for 100 kilometers, in Armenia, you come across historical heritage every 1 kilometer. And that’s fantastic!” Hakobian concluded.
Unexplored Armenia is available on Amazon. The pictures are great visuals, and the book transforms you to amazing places in Armenia and Artsakh, complete with beautiful descriptions and historical context.
Talar Keoseyan
Main Photo Caption: “Exploring Armenia” with Harutyun Hakobian
